3rd & 4th Generation (1992–1996 & 1997–2001)Toyota Camry Discussion for years: 1992-1996 & 1997-2001
Topics of discussion range from fuel economy, safety, modifications, performance all involving America's favorite family car, the Toyota Camry.
Well, over the past two days, my car has been sounding differently (It sounds like my old chevy 454 suburban). I went under it this morning and isolated where the sound was coming from.
It's this piece... What is it? I thought the cat converter was farther down, and i'm not sure.
I have the 5sfe, and the pipe runs down from the engine, turns, and then runs straight along to the rear. This is right after it turns.
Also, is this detrimental to anything? I was in Denver a few weeks ago, and took a side street. Long story short, the ice underneath collapsed, and the front of my car hit the ground. It bent the piece underneath the front up nearly 3 inches as you can see below. There are no leaks from the AC condenser, and inside of the hood you can't tell. You can gauge how much it is bent by the support in the middle. It's basically bent 180˚. I'm 99% sure this is also the cause of the exhaust issue.
__________________
2006 Scion tC 5spd ~ 60k miles
Last edited by mgartner0622; 01-20-2012 at 10:34 AM.
It's the flex section of your front pipe, a pipe that includes the cat con. Flex section is the weak link/first to go, generally. Pipe is expensive to replace. The good news is a muffler shop can weld in a new flex section for a reasonable fee.
Just to check if my tires were balanced, while the car was on jack stands i started it, put it in drive an observed the wheels. I know I have an open differential, but only one tire was spinning, and it drives terribly in snow now as well, so I'm thinking only one wheel is getting power (drivers side). I'm not sure if it's normal, but when I put the car in park i can still move the tires, they just move in opposite directions. I'm not sure this is normal.
Thanks!
__________________
2006 Scion tC 5spd ~ 60k miles
Last edited by mgartner0622; 01-20-2012 at 11:59 AM.
Just to check if my tires were balanced, while the car was on jack stands i started it, put it in drive an observed the wheels. I know I have an open differential, but only one tire was spinning, and it drives terribly in snow now as well, so I'm thinking only one wheel is getting power (drivers side). I'm not sure if it's normal, but when I put the car in park i can still move the tires, they just move in opposite directions. I'm not sure this is normal.
Thanks!
Yeah, all that's normal.
__________________
1992 Camry LE, V6 (3VZ-FE), ABS brakes, 330k miles, dark emerald pearl, owned since new.
1996 Avalon XLS, ABS brakes, moonroof, white, acquired w/ 139k miles, now at 261k.
2001 Yamaha FZ1, Ivan's jet kit, resprung all around, Ohlins in the rear, Race Tech cartridge emulators in the forks, 45k miles.
Thats completely normal for one wheel to spin. If the make a limited slip differential, it would not be too hard to replace in these cars and would make a world of difference in the snow and wet. Your flex joint should be less than $100 to fix and I would do it sooner tha later as it can cause other issues for you depending on how bad it is. How are your motor mounts? driving with bad motor mounts can stress a flex joint to the point of breakage, but they also wear out over time and exposure to the elements, but worth checking on as you'd hate to get a new flex joint and bust it in less than a year. Not sure how skilled labor is in your area, but there are places in this country where one would say, you have to replace the whole pipe and there are still some true craftsman who will cut that section out and weld in a new one. If you cant find someone to replace just the joint, they do sell replacement down pipes with new joints on them on ebay.
__________________
91 Isuzu Stylus XS 425k miles
95 Toyota Camry XLE V6 225k miles
91 Infiniti G20 316k miles RIP
91 Isuzu Impulse Wagon 667k miles RIP
Thats completely normal for one wheel to spin. If the make a limited slip differential, it would not be too hard to replace in these cars and would make a world of difference in the snow and wet. Your flex joint should be less than $100 to fix and I would do it sooner tha later as it can cause other issues for you depending on how bad it is. How are your motor mounts? driving with bad motor mounts can stress a flex joint to the point of breakage, but they also wear out over time and exposure to the elements, but worth checking on as you'd hate to get a new flex joint and bust it in less than a year. Not sure how skilled labor is in your area, but there are places in this country where one would say, you have to replace the whole pipe and there are still some true craftsman who will cut that section out and weld in a new one. If you cant find someone to replace just the joint, they do sell replacement down pipes with new joints on them on ebay.
Hmm, that's very helpful, thanks for the info.
When would you consider the motor mounts "bad"? My motor moves about 2-3 inches when i do the mount test (foot on brake, accelerate)
If there is a hole in the flex pipe, or the weld is breaking apart, and the car sounds like your "old chevy 454 suburban", then I would be surprised if it passes emissions. Usually emissions includes a visual inspection that all the exhaust pieces are in place, even if the only "test" they do is a OBD check. Even though all the pieces are there, it is obvious from the sound the car makes that the exhaust system is compromised and I would imagine they would fail you for it. I just went through this same thing and had to replace my flex pipe in order to pass emissions.
Also, the $100 quoted is only correct if you live somewhere with enough "Ma & Pa" style garages to drive down the price. Where I live the local garages outsource all their welding needs to Midas Muffler, which means it would have bee $275 + tax to get my flex cut out and a new one welded in. I ended up doing the work myself: rented a pipe cutter from AdvanceAuto, bought a $25 Stainless Steel Flex pipe and two Band style exhaust clamps @$8.50 each, and replaced my own flex pipe in ~2 hours on a Saturday. Passed emissions with flying colors.
__________________
1998 Camry LE, Acquired with 128k miles, currently 227k miles (11/11)
If there is a hole in the flex pipe, or the weld is breaking apart, and the car sounds like your "old chevy 454 suburban", then I would be surprised if it passes emissions. Usually emissions includes a visual inspection that all the exhaust pieces are in place, even if the only "test" they do is a OBD check. Even though all the pieces are there, it is obvious from the sound the car makes that the exhaust system is compromised and I would imagine they would fail you for it. I just went through this same thing and had to replace my flex pipe in order to pass emissions.
Also, the $100 quoted is only correct if you live somewhere with enough "Ma & Pa" style garages to drive down the price. Where I live the local garages outsource all their welding needs to Midas Muffler, which means it would have bee $275 + tax to get my flex cut out and a new one welded in. I ended up doing the work myself: rented a pipe cutter from AdvanceAuto, bought a $25 Stainless Steel Flex pipe and two Band style exhaust clamps @$8.50 each, and replaced my own flex pipe in ~2 hours on a Saturday. Passed emissions with flying colors.
Visually, it looks fine. there are no hones or anything and the welds look good. However, I think the whole thing is just worn out and leaking all around. If i put my hand over it there's air leaking out from pretty much everywhere.
I'm just trying to gauge how long it will be before I absolutely have to take care of this. I'm trying to get the car to 200k without putting any more major money into it, the $500 or so for the motor mounts and $100-300 to get this fixed are exactly what I'm trying to avoid. Technically, the car needs new struts too, as it's still running the originals, however again I really would like to avoid investing more money into it.
Is this safe? Where I draw the line is just being "cheap" versus putting my and other's safety at risk. Is there anyway the flex pipe could completely fail and cause sparks to be released underneath the car or any similar risks? Will a failed flex pipe severely impact my MPG? All these are things I'm trying to consider.
Motor mounts can be difficult to say what is bad. These sit atop 2 liquid filled mounts and have a small dog bone on the belt side of the motor, these go bad often but are cheap ($30) to replace and probably your culprit. When the liquid mounts fail, your motor will jump and clunk extremely loud as jumps as far as it can. Like I said, depending on where you live, in places of the country where there are still real craftsman, it will be reasonable...
__________________
91 Isuzu Stylus XS 425k miles
95 Toyota Camry XLE V6 225k miles
91 Infiniti G20 316k miles RIP
91 Isuzu Impulse Wagon 667k miles RIP
Also, the $100 quoted is only correct if you live somewhere with enough "Ma & Pa" style garages to drive down the price. Where I live the local garages outsource all their welding needs to Midas Muffler, which means it would have bee $275 + tax to get my flex cut out and a new one welded in. I ended up doing the work myself: rented a pipe cutter from AdvanceAuto, bought a $25 Stainless Steel Flex pipe and two Band style exhaust clamps @$8.50 each, and replaced my own flex pipe in ~2 hours on a Saturday.
I've gotta replace the flex pipe on my 1998 Camry and I was curious if anyone has an opinion on whether or not the repair you mentioned above.... cut and clamp in a replacement flex pipe vs. having a shop weld in a replacement is safe in terms of exhaust emission getting into the car from the clamped pipes? A female friend of mine says I smell exhaust/oil when i put my car ventilation system into fresh air mode. I believe its because of the leaks from this pipe?? Any thoughts on how well a clamp will seal that flex pipe to the exhaust ends? I've never worked with exhaust clamps before.
I've gotta replace the flex pipe on my 1998 Camry and I was curious if anyone has an opinion on whether or not the repair you mentioned above.... cut and clamp in a replacement flex pipe vs. having a shop weld in a replacement is safe in terms of exhaust emission getting into the car from the clamped pipes? A female friend of mine says I smell exhaust/oil when i put my car ventilation system into fresh air mode. I believe its because of the leaks from this pipe?? Any thoughts on how well a clamp will seal that flex pipe to the exhaust ends? I've never worked with exhaust clamps before.
I've done exhaust repairs with clamps like that. It's best to use a sealant along with it. I don't remember the brand, but it's specifically for that purpose. The stuff I used came in a tube like toothpaste. Any auto supply store ought to have it.
With that said, I'd take it to an independent exhaust shop and have them weld it in. It doesn't cost a lot.
Lastly, if it's burning oil you're smelling, that is often caused by a leaking valve cover. The oil drips down onto the exhaust and slowly burns off. Check that out before you replace the flex pipe. Unless you see an obvious leak down there.
__________________
1992 Camry LE, V6 (3VZ-FE), ABS brakes, 330k miles, dark emerald pearl, owned since new.
1996 Avalon XLS, ABS brakes, moonroof, white, acquired w/ 139k miles, now at 261k.
2001 Yamaha FZ1, Ivan's jet kit, resprung all around, Ohlins in the rear, Race Tech cartridge emulators in the forks, 45k miles.
The AutoGuide.com network consists of the largest network of enthusiast-owned enthusiast-operated automotive communities.
AutoGuide.com provides the latest car reviews, auto show coverage, new car prices, and automotive news. The AutoGuide network operates more than 100 automotive forums where our users consult peers for shopping information and advice, and share opinions as a community.
ToyotaNation.com is an independent Toyota/Lexus enthusiast website. ToyotaNation.com is not sponsored by or in any way affiliated with Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc. The Toyota, Lexus and Scion names and logos are trademarks owned by Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc.
A female friend of mine says I smell exhaust/oil when i put my car ventilation system into fresh air mode. I believe its because of the leaks from this pipe?? Any thoughts on how well a clamp will seal that flex pipe to the exhaust ends? I've never worked with exhaust clamps before.
Linear Mode
